Operation: Griffin
by radiopop
Summary: While prepping for the mission: “Mmhm.” Kai reached up and wiped some extra lip gloss off of the corner of Rei’s mouth. And for a moment, their faces were very, very close. It would be so wrong…but feel so right. Chapter 5 Up!
1. Prologue Part 1

Note: I do not own anything. Sadly...

Also, the title of this story refers to the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I thought it would be interesting to adapt it into love.

Finally, Rei and Kai have no previous knowledge of each other. Rei also does not wear his headband.

Enjoy...

* * *

Rei padded silently through the dim, ornate hallway. The thick, plush carpet sank under his footsteps, and at the same time, muffled any trace of sound. He counted the doors as he passed them. One, two, three, and four….

This door was bigger than the rest, painted dark red while the others were green. Rei smirked. This was definitely Gregorovich's study. He was known for his extravagance and flamboyancy; even among his own rooms he had to glorify his study.

Rei set his toolbox down and reached inside his handyman's pants to pull out the keys. It had been smart to come disguised as a handyman, with mud green overalls and an ugly red plaid shirt. It was also convenient that Gregorovich's toilet had started "leaking the other day" and "sent out a signal via the chip we embedded as part of our premium package deal". His drunken butler was none the wiser. Rei scoffed._Even though you can't trust smart people not to pry, hiring an idiot isn't bound to get you anywhere._

The door opened easily. The room was spacious enough, adorned in a color theme of dark red, cream, and evergreen. There wasn't much, just a desk, the door to the bathroom behind it, and a bookcase taking up one whole wall. _Hmm, no cameras. _A window took up the whole wall opposite Rei, but it was the only feature that showed any semblance of wealth. The room looked almost empty, as if no one lived there. _I suppose when you have five homes you don't spend much time in any one of them. _

On the desk was a file, neatly bound with a plastic cover. Rei walked over and read the title, then silently picked up the file. Pressing down on the corner of the toolbox, a secret compartment lifted up and he quickly slipped in file in. Gregorovich always had his secretary copy everything at least twice; this had proved easy for the CIA to get a hold of his documents. He, of course, was none the wiser, as he never looked at most of the copies anyway.

Closing it and taking the toolbox with him, Rei walked into the bathroom. After flushing the toilet a few times and banging on the lid with his wrench, he made a quick scan of the room. Nothing had been disturbed, as there was very little in the room to begin with. _Good. _

But just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of a black figure dropping down onto the thin ledge of the window outside. To a normal eye, there would only be ink black night with a spattering of stars on the exterior of the window. But Rei wasn't a double zero agent for nothing. _Looks like the SVR_(1)

Smirking, Rei raised a hand in salute, and then sashayed through the door, closing it with a small "click" behind him.

* * *

Through the window, a pair of crimson eyes watched him go.

"Doc."

"Yes. We hear you."

"…"

"Phoenix, we don't have all day."

"The Americans have it."

Muted swearing was heard, along with the crashing of glass, presumably a mug.

"Should I take their agent down?"

"We didn't give you any weapons."

A Hi-Standard B.22 was cocked by the earpiece, the sound echoing through the mic(2).

"You know better than to trust me."

"….Well…we don't really want to…wait. I got a call coming through."

"…"

More swearing was heard, this time louder.

A sigh. "It seems like we're working with the Americans on this one. So just let him go."

"…"

"Agent?"

"…"

"Agent!?"

The mic was promptly switched off.

* * *

(1) Yes, this really is the name of Russia's intelligence agency. I did my research.

(2) Microphone

Feel free to submit anything: ideas, comments, reviews, improvements. Or if you want to see anything in the story please suggest it. I'm always open.


	2. Prologue Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Note: The title of this story refers to the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. I decided it would be interesting to adapt it into love.

Enjoy.

* * *

Rei blinked. Chin in hand, he whizzed down one of the many streets in Moscow in a sleek, but anonymous, black car. 

It was one of those days where the sky made you want to drown yourself in it. The clear blue stretched over the whole city, but for a few wispy clouds that dared to hang around at the higher altitudes. Summer was starting to bleed itself into autumn, and the air had the distinct crispy chill to it.

Rei sighed and looked at the manila folder in his lap. He had already gone through it; the folder held only three pitiful pieces of paper, just customary documents reviewing rules and procedures that were given out with every briefing packet. The file that he had filched from Gregorovich's study had already been handed in to the Office. He fidgeted with the cuff of his button-up shirt. The drive from the airport had been long and tedious, and the driver was not exactly the most conversational man ever…

_Sometimes…I really don't know why I still do this. For thrills? _

Rei remembered bitterly the time he was forced to go undercover as a stripper in a gay night club…and shuddered.

_No. Definitely not. _

Being a spy was a thankless job, and quite lonely. He had never met any of his superiors, only confronting whatever case officer he was working with on a particular mission. Nor had he met most of his colleagues. On double or team missions, agents never learned anything past each other's code name. Missions were always filled with deceit, stealth, and whatever else nature decided to hurl. And each agent led his own personal life outside of the CIA. Rei himself was a "lawyer".

_The frequent "business trips", the separate bank accounts, the "paranoia" of having him watch me dress in the mornings, plus that time he tried to use my computer and the police showed up…how long will this last? _

Rei sighed wistfully and pulled a thin gold chain from around his neck. Strung on the chain was a beautiful 14k white gold ring set with sparkling diamonds. On the inside, one word had been engraved: Eternity. He ran his thumb across the diamonds, feeling their roughness, then let the necklace slip back into his shirt.

_I can't believe he proposed…_

Even though he wasn't allowed to wear the ring on his finger while on the job, Rei cherished its weight around his neck. Brooklyn(1) had proposed on their cruise to Jamaica just last week. And it had been the most beautiful time of his life, as Rei had never felt more loved.

_Plus I didn't get called away on any surprise mission either…_

A heavily accented Russian voice broke through his thoughts.

"So just around the corner we'll see the bank."

"…the bank…?"

"Oh yes. The bank is where our agents work. They lead their double lives here. Our bank gives them jobs and they can switch shifts any time. At the same time we manage our financial accounts and make lots of money."

"Maybe the CIA should consider that." _Then I wouldn't have to lie all the time._

"Ahhh…yes. They have tried." The car pulled to a stop in front of a massive stone building and the driver leaned back to face Rei. His grizzled face broke into a smile.

"But we Russians are quite possessive, I think you will discover."

Slightly bemused, Rei smiled and thanked the driver for his services. Threading his way among the people milling around in front of the Bank of the Soviet, he made his way inside the giant rotating doors.

On his path to the elevator he counted 36 cameras mounted in various positions (he had to admit the fake bird in the lady's hat was pretty creative) and stepped delicately over all three tripwires in the elevator. _They sure are thrilled to see me. _He pressed the button for floor fourteen.

While the elevator slowly made its way up, Rei suddenly realized his lack of a partner, or any information regarding it.

_Huh. Must be problems processing. Or maybe it's just a Russian thing…_

* * *

The room was dark, with only a sliver of light struggling through the closed curtains. It was a neat bedroom, with the usual furniture: a bed, a closet, a desk, a window. The only sign of habitation were the pieces of clothing strewn haphazardly on the bed. 

A laptop screen cast a faint glow, outlining slate grey and navy blue hair. Skilled fingers danced nimbly over the keys as lines of scrolling code were reflected in mahogany eyes. Lips in their trademark smirk stretched into a grin of victory as the "enter" key was swiftly hit.

With a little "blip", Kai Hiwatari had hacked into the CIA's most confidential files.

_Way too easy…_

He navigated the pages with ease. Everything was well organized and the text was professional and easy to read. Clicking on the "Profiles" link on the left hand side, a box popped up asking for a password.

_Hn…_

After fooling around for less than two minutes, Kai was even deeper in the CIA's database.

He found the profile for the agent he had seen that day in Gregorovich's house.

_Interesting. Rei Kon, is it?_

Kai's crimson eyes quickly scanned Rei's stats.

_Huh. 004. The digits of 13 added together. _

He scrolled down to Rei's history.

"Raised in a little village in the mountains of China, very little is known of Rei Kon's childhood. For causes unknown, he immigrated to the U.S. with his parents not long after his thirteenth birthday. However, his parents were killed in a drive-by shooting weeks after they had reached the country. The thugs that were involved in the shooting mysteriously died before they ever appeared in court.

A local orphanage adopted Kon, and he stayed there for an estimated three years. During this time, items in the orphanage routinely went missing. Kon was described to be a quiet child at this time, very solitary. Even though, local street kids and gang-members reportedly refused to tangle with him.

A few years later, after his sixteenth birthday, Kon went missing. Soon afterward, large sums of cash from casinos all over the country began disappearing. The investigation was finally handed to the CIA, and after six months it was discovered that Kon had somehow managed to wire the money into his personal bank account located overseas. The CIA immediately began pursuit of Kon. However, it was only after two months with three teams of agents working was Kon finally caught.

After some persuasion, Kon agreed to a deal. In return, for working for the CIA, the CIA would return all the funds. Kon was also pardoned and did not serve time.

Kon has completed many successful missions to date. More information can be found in the private data bank located in the White House._"_

_...so this is the infamous 'Black Cat' eh? _

Kai smirked. He hadn't had an exciting mission since Tala had been switched to the surveillance field for "misconduct to persons other than target". This would be definitely interesting.

He checked the digital clock in the corner of the screen. He had plenty of time before the briefing meeting.Cliking on a link labeled "Misc." a window popped up.

_Fuck._

The picture had been taken during a mission. There was a tuft of brown hair in the right-hand corner of the screen. From the background, one could tell that it was a bar or nightclub.

Kai's breath hitched in his throat. Looking like he had just stepped off a Victoria's Secret runway, Rei was the epitome of seduction. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt(2) that hung open to reveal his toned stomach, and tight black leather shorts that hugged his hips. His legs, which any supermodel would die for, were covered in fishnets. He somehow made combat boots look dangerously sexy. His hair, although in its regular braid, had been styled to give it a "just-out-of-bed-look" that was slightly tousled.

What really got Kai, however, were his eyes. Rei's chin was slightly raised as he cat-walked toward the target. Citrine eyes basically dripped with honey-filled lust, but at the same time, burned with a distinct hunger. Even though he knew Rei was acting, Kai felt something distinctly harden in his nether region.

Swearing every profanity known to man, Kai got up and stumbled toward the shower. He would definitely need a cold one.

* * *

(1) I went through a lot of characters for this role. Any other suggestions?

(2) Think Orlando Bloom in "Pirates of the Caribbean". And, if you don't like his outfit, feel free to visualize any way you want.

I'm sorry if the second section with Kai had a tone that might sound a little rushed. I really, really wanted to update (see how much I love you guys?).

Anything someone would like to see in the story? Or ideas? Likes or dislikes? Feedback? Feel free to express...


	3. Chapter 1

So...I have finally picked this story up after a looooong while.

I got a new idea today; hence the title. Nothing else is gonna change; I just decided to ditch the theme I have mentioned in my notes in the prologue.

So...yep. Enjoy! And as always, Rei does not wear his headband. (Sigh) and I still don't own anything.

* * *

_Ding._

Rei's elevator had arrived. He tensed as the doors opened, but nothing came at him. Heaving a small sigh of relief, he calmly walked out of the elevator. On the way up, he had disabled all three trip wires.

The hallway was nothing remarkable. Drab maroon carpet ran the length of the hallway; energy-efficient lights were placed at regular intervals on the ceiling. The few doors that were slightly open let in the light chattering of people at business. There were no cameras. _At the same time, it makes me feel like I'm being watched. _

Rei glanced at the small piece of paper clipped to the top of his folder. _Room 304. _Silently, as always, he walked down the hallway and opened the corresponding door.

Again, the room was unremarkable. There was a potted plant in the corner, drooping a bit from the lack of water. A large wooden desk with two chairs placed in front of it took up most of the room. Providing light, a huge window dominated the far wall. Behind the desk, there was also a filing cabinet and a black, leather rolling chair.

As Rei entered the room, a silhouette suddenly stood up. It moved with the grace and confidence of a person who was completely comfortable with himself. The light from the window framed the figure, throwing most of it into shadow. Rei could make out toned shoulders, spiky hair, and hands thrust into pockets.

"Mr. Kon. What a pleasure this is."

Rei could almost see the smirk in the smooth, seductive, baritone voice. _But the voice…it's too familiar…_

"I'm afraid we haven't formally met. My name is Kai Hiwatari…"

* * *

Thirteen-year old Rei panted as he ran, half sobbing, half gasping for air. Rain plastered his bangs to his forehead and drenched the grungy street, washing away the blood that seeped from the two bodies behind him. Three burly men relentlessly pursued him, jeering as they ran.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty."

"You think we should kill 'im or fuck 'im first?"

"Hah! Whichever way, it'll be fun!"

Veering around the corner, Rei ducked quickly into a dark warehouse. He made his way delicately around the piles of goods, water dripping off his heels and falling with a little "plip" onto the cement floor. His gasps for air seemed to expand and fill the darkness around him. Hearing the sounds of the thugs pass the warehouse, he turned his head…

"Ouf…!"

"Hn."

"…oh…s-sorry…"

Standing in the darkness, cold and dripping, panting hard, Rei tried to perceive the other person. He could tell that the person was doing the same.

Rei's sensitive ears pricked up as they caught a sound…

"You think he went in here?"

"Yeah…we should check."

_Crap_. Rei could tell that they were coming back and getting closer…

"Here." Rei jumped as something cold and metal was suddenly pressed into his hands. It was a gun.

"I think you might need this."

The person had turned and was walking away. Rei panicked.

"Wait!"

The person paused.

"Wha...What is your name?"

Silence stretched between them, forming an unbreakable, invisible bond.

"I'm Kai."

* * *

_Hmm. _Rei regarded the figure with lidded eyes. _Two can play the game. _

He returned the smirk with one himself, then stepped delicately into the room and closed the door behind him.

_But first, let's see what game he's playing at…_

"Well, Mr. _Hiwatari_, I would introduce myself, but that would be redundant, wouldn't it?" Fangs peeked out of a lower lip as he gave a "friendly" smile.

"Ah, but I would love to hear the way you say your name." Hiwatari leaned comfortably against the desk, still encased in shadow.

"I'm sorry, analyzing my personality by the way I say my name isn't gonna work."

"So Peter trained you too?" Peter was a renowned instructor that taught diplomatic strategies. A.K.A.: how to read people, deal with people, and make them think you're in charge and know what you're doing, whether or not you do.

"I'm afraid so, yes."

Rei could feel the other's eyes appraise him, taking in his lithe figure and every little detail about him. He was glad that he had dressed in his favorite crimson shirt and black slacks today. He always wore this outfit during briefing, as it was comfortable and gave him confidence. Unconsciously, his hand came up and he fiddled with the chain around his neck.

"So did you enjoy your drive with Artem?"

"Excuse me, who?" Rei blinked.

"Artem. Part time chauffeur, part time poison specialist." Smirk.

"It was rather…pleasant, I suppose." '_Rule 5: Assert authority subconsciously using knowledge.' Why is he using Peter's tactics? And especially knowing that I know them too? _

Rei decided to insert his own little jab. "Of course, it was only because the car was so familiar to me. The model was developed in the U.S. And then Russia showed up with their own clone a few months later, except under a different name." He shrugged nonchalantly, looking away.

He could tell that he'd hit a nerve with this, as Hiwatari replied in a rather clipped tone, "Hn. I'm rather surprised though, that after it came out, the U.S. didn't come over here and start a war, seeing as they love sticking their noses into other peoples' business."

_Hmph._ _Ok, if you want to play this way, its fine with me._ "We only do it because we can. And besides, didn't we beat you guys to the moon?"

"But we got into space first."

"It was a surprise that Russia could think through all the vodka."

"This coming from someone from a place where 64.5 percent of the adults are obese."

Rei gritted his teeth, but kept his tone friendly. "And how is fight against political corruption coming along?"

"Better than the effort to keep gas prices down."

At this, Hiwatari stood from where he was leaning on the desk. Rei tensed as he saw the movement, feline senses alert, ready.

Just then, Rei heard the doorknob turn behind him. _Crap. One in front, one behind. _He swung around, ready to face whatever would come through the door…

* * *

Hah! Didn't see that one coming, did you?

Cliffhanger for you, and cliffhanger for me! Partly to amp up the suspense and keep me writing.

Reviews are love and inspiration. Please let me know what you think!

Peace. And strawberries. :D


	4. Chapter 2

Yep! I was right to leave it a cliffhanger. I couldn't leave it alone, haha.

Same rules apply as previous chapter. No own, yadda yadda.

Enjoy, and review please! :D

* * *

Rei stared. The man was round, short, and bald. He wore a green pinstripe suit and held a briefcase in the pudgy, soft fingers of his right hand. There was a watch on his left hand.

Rei sweatdropped and nearly fell over.

"Awh. Come on Hiwatari. Stop playing Mr. James Bond and get your ass into the chair. You know you ain't foolin' no one." The man spoke in an authoritative voice.

"Hn."

By now Rei's mind had gotten over the shock and began to overcompensate for the lost 10 seconds or so. It rushed through standard procedure, ignoring the other two people in the room as they continued exchanging words.

_No weapons on him, no outline of weapons. Hair…none. Shoes...designer, suggests expensive tastes. No jewelry, except watch. Wants to be one time, punctual person. Also suggest he likes order. Clothes…green. Suggests growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility_._ Calming color. Obviously wants peace. Briefcase, black, standard, normal. Could hide small arms, but that can be overcome..._(sniff)_...Is that…Lady Speed Stick?! Interesting form of deodorant…may suggest some feminine qualities in his decision making. Trace of gasoline in his smell but maybe was from the drive here. Stride is confident, but not overly so. Posture is also c…OH DAMN!_

Hiwatari had stepped into the light. Spiky hair, slate grey in the front and navy in the back, framed a perfect face. A navy silk shirt, obviously expensive, hung over a toned torso that was muscular but not bulky. Graceful hands were thrust into slacks that were obviously designer. Fierce crimson eyes stared at Rei, daring him to move, to breathe, to come closer…

Fortunately, after years of training (and a broken jaw once when he had gawked) Rei was able to keep his mouth shut.

He swallowed. Hiwatari seemed to sense this, and smirked. Again.

"Alright chaps. Let's get a move on here and sit down." The tubby man had sat down in the black swiveling chair and was motioning to both Kai and Rei.

Rei made a move toward the chair on the right, but found that Kai had beaten him to it. He made a show of pulling out Rei's chair for him, and didn't sit down until Rei did.

_Cheeky bastard. _Rei fumed inwardly. He shifted discreetly so that he was as far away from Hiwatari as possible.

"So as you both know, this operation is a collaboration between the U.S. and Russia." The pudgy man had leaned forward, putting both elbows on the table.

"And…oh! Excuse me! I didn't introduce myself here! How incredibly rude of me." The plump man in the green suit turned to Rei. "My name is Anatoli Kypirno. I am in charge of the going ons 'round here." He smiled, and extended his hand. Reaching over to shake his hand, Rei noticed that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Mr. Kypirno reverted to his original position of both elbows on the desk. "And as I was sayin' we're workin' together here on this one." He eyed both the agents. "So teamwork is gonna be essential here." He wagged a pudgy finger. At this, Rei saw Hiwatari roll his eyes.

"Anyways," Mr. Kypirno grunted as he reached down to retrieve his briefcase "we're goin' up again pretty big fry here…and excuse me for a sec, lads." He pulled out a sleek silver laptop and began muttering as he set it up.

As he waited, Rei's eyes drifted over to Hiwatari, following the pale skin of his throat lower and lower. Unconciously licking his lips, he found himself wishing that the Russian had left more of his shirt open…_No! Argh…why am I thinking these things? I'm engaged, for Pete's sake! _As penance he forced himself to chant Brooklyn's name over and over while filling his head with images of his fiancée. _Brooklyn. Brooklyn in the tub naked. Brooklyn. Brooklyn sprawled out on the bed. Brooklyn. Brooklyn taking off his shirt. Brooklyn. Brooklyn finding me and Kai in the closet having hot, sweaty…GODDAMMIT! _

All during this time, Kai hadn't budged an inch. He looked like a statue that some rabid fangirl had pilfered from a museum.

"Ahem," Mr. Kypirno cleared his throat rather loudly, breaking Rei from his mental bashing of unwanted images. Rei peeled his eyes from Kai's skin and forced himself to concentrate on the mission briefing.

The laptop was now on, and was set into presentation mode. On the screen was a portrait of a man, about his early thirties. He had sparkling blue eyes and blonde hair, and was dressed expensively, with several big rings on his fingers.

"So as you chaps can see, not only is this a big fry, but this is a rich big fry." Usually Rei would have found humor in the word choice, but the man's tone had taken on a deadly edge. "This here is Matvei Gregorovich. Normally, we'd spend more time on his background and such, but let's cut to the chase: he was born rich, he is rich, and he will die rich."

The screen changed to show the next slide, another photo of the young man, this one by a pool, surrounded by busty blondes and handsome young men. "He enjoys what the rich like to do, but most notably golf, fast cars, and, quoting him, 'people who are as attractive as me'. You'd think that someone with this kind of ego would get shot down and fall the hardest, but that is far from the truth.

People think he's easy to get, too arrogant, so they send guys in to nail 'im. But what do they get?" The next shot was of a dead body, left in the forest. It had been mauled badly in several places, blood pooling all over the ground, and the skin on the victim's back had been cut off. "Yessir. Skinned off while the poor man was alive. The big ego acts almost like a ruse. This man is as evil as hell frozen over and thawed again. He shows no mercy and takes no victims.

And as far as we know, he has no weaknesses other than beautiful people, though we have tried to find some. He was born rich, the son of the successful ganglord-turned-CEO Dorofei Gregorovich and an unnamed street prostitute. So he does have street blood in 'im, and all those street smarts." At this, Mr. Kypirno turned to the two agents.

"You know that file we pilfered? Well, lemme tell ya…that wasn't even his house! That's why it was so easy! All five of his homes are bogus, and he doesn't live in any of 'em! So now we don't even know his address…

But lemme tell ya what we do know. This Saturday, that's in five days exactly, at 3:00 p.m. Mr. Gregorovich will be boarding the jet _Mirar_(1), courtesy of our lovely bank here." A photo of a luxury jet was shown, the word "mirar" painted in swirling letters along its side.

"Of course he couldn't refuse our offer. Lovely girls and guys, pampering, gets 'im from point A to B, great security, comfort. And the fact that he's been our customer for a few years now. And we've been more than accommodating in many, er, questionable instances." Mr. Kypirno's face broke out into a smile, and he winked. Rei wondered if there had been any persuasion tactics going on between the agency and Gregorovich.

Suddenly though, as if a cloud not only passed over the sun, but also punched it in the face, the rotund man's smile disappeared. "But why do we target 'im? Cuz we're bored? Hell, no. This man, I tell ya, this man is evil. I said he was rich right? But this is what he uses his money to do…" He pressed the button to go to the next slide.

Rei gasped. He could sense Kai suddenly tense…

The label at the bottom of the screen read "28 hours". The man was literally melting away. The exposed cheekbone stood out stark and white against the goopy, dripping mix of blood and flesh. The man's eyes bugged out of their sockets, bloodshot. There was a tube running into his nose supplying oxygen, but the man's mouth was open in a carnal grimace, seemingly gasping for air. A black fluid oozed out of the corner of his mouth.

"It's a cousin of the Ebola virus." Mr. Kypirno's grave voice broke through the shock. "He had it developed somewhere in the Himalayas and tested, too. That poor guy with 'is back sinned in the forest? This is what he died for. To get us this photo and show us the truth…"

He shook his bald head and continued. "We have reason to believe that he plans to unleash this deadly virus among us. But remember those street smarts? Oh yessir, killing people isn't enough, but he's gonna make 'em pay to stay alive." The screen changed to show a small vial that held a clear fluid.

"10 million can save your life. Of course, not everyone can cough up 10 million for themselves, much less their family. But in the end, Mr. Gregorovich is gonna be one rich, rich, big fry."

"But…" at this Mr. Kypirno leaned forward, a glint suddenly in his eye, "this rich, rich, big fry is gonna board our plane this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. And he is gonna meet this special, special flight attendant…"

Rei suddenly felt a sinking in his stomach.

"…who's gonna give him special treatment. And what did I say about dying rich? Yessir, Mr. Gregorovich is gonna die a rich man that never was." His plump finger triumphantly hit the key. "Of course after that all we hafta do is swoop his secret headquarters, which the special flight attendant will be sure to find out for us, and that should be more or less easy since he is afraid to delegate responsibilities to anyone else."

There was a short silence as Mr. Kypirno switched off the presentation. He navigated the computer for a while, then clicked on the file.

A 3D model of a jetplane showed up, rotating slowly on an axis. Every few seconds or so, the outside would disappear to show a model of the inside, down to every seat and champagne glass being served. There was even a mini Gregorovich, lounging contentedly in a chair. Rei intently observed the diagram. The fat man had been right, it was true luxury.

"So this is our baby here. U.S. and Russia split the cost, so I don't wanna hear no arguing…" He winked as both Rei and Kai glanced at him. "It, plus the whole airport, is gonna be stocked with agents from both countries. But you two, specially hand-picked...You two" he turned his eyes to first Kai, then Rei, "will be in the center of the action." He moved the cursor to a link titled "characters", and clicked twice swiftly.

A digitally enhanced picture of Kai popped up. He was dressed in a standard captain's outfit, in blue and white. "Mr. Hiwatari, you will be our co-captain. Now, I know you like playing Big-Mister-Numbah-One but the captain won't be able to get away if there is trouble. And there will be trouble. So this is your job." Mr. Kypirno bent away for a moment to retrieve something, and came back with two manila folders. He handed the top one to Kai.

Eying his folder, Rei wasn't so sure he wanted to know what his part was.

"And Mr. Kon…" Kypirno moved the cursor to the "next" button at the bottom of the screen, and pressed. Rei felt his stomach fall into a bottomless pit.

_Hell. No. _

"Mr. Kon, you will be our special, special flight attendant."

* * *

How'd you like that, eh?

Yes? No? Ideas? Anything? Review, I say! Review! :D

(1) Mirar: means to look in Spanish. I was gonna call it "Paradise" in Russian, but you can't spell Russian with the English Alphabet

Peace. And pineapple.


	5. Chapter 3

Rei stared at the edge of the desk and wondered how much force it would take to bash his head in.

_I mean, a flight attendant?!_

He vaguely heard Mr. Kypirno finish up the briefing, telling them something about doing some further research.

_And it's only my second mission…_

The bald, rotund man turned to go. Rei numbly got up and shook his hand. Then he followed both Hiwatari and Kypirno out of the door.

In the elevator with Hiwatari, Rei leaned against the wall and brooded over his thoughts.

_Really, I must fail at life…_

His hand traced the edge of the manila folder, slender fingers feeling the texture of the paper…

Rei jumped as a hand closed over his. It was slightly rough, but not too much. The cool of the palm was refreshing.

He looked up to see Hiwatari lean in. "I'll meet you in the library at three."

Rei stared, dumbfounded as he watched the Russian walk away.

Too late, he realized that the doors of the elevator were closing. He jabbed the "open" button several times with his thumb.

* * *

In his dark office, Kypirno leaned his elbows in the desk. A thick phone cord snaked across the table. He toyed with the dark blue coils between his thick fingers.

"_So how did they get along?"_

"Not too shabby. There was first day competition, as expected. I sent them on some irrelevant research in the library."

"_Good. Good. You told them the date and time?"_

"I did."

"_We'll be watching, then. Keep me posted on updates."_

There was a slight 'click' as the other end of the phone line went dead.

Humming to himself, Kypirno tucked away a folder that read "Operation: Griffin".

* * *

Kai discreetly looked at Rei over the top of his laptop screen.

Rei checked Kai out of the corner of his eye while sipping his coffee.

The wind decided to take no part of this silly game and just ruffled their hair. The pair of agents was sitting outside a café, a little ways off from the bank. It was a cheery little place, somewhere you wouldn't know about unless you had lived in Moscow for a few years.

Surprisingly, Rei found the coffee to his liking, even just a little, tiny bit better than Starbucks (though he wouldn't admit it).

_I wonder why he's looking at me. _The American agent cocked his head as he set the cup down and began going through their pile of research papers.

Kai continued to stare at Rei as another light gust of breeze swirled around them like a blanket.

* * *

Rei deftly blasted the center of three targets, then tossed his gun from his right to his left hand and shot the next three perfectly.

The cat-like agent swiveled to shoot the last one, but found a hole already in the center.

He turned to Kai. "That was mine."

The Russian shrugged. "I know. Just making it go faster."

Both agents had uninterested, almost bored looks on their faces. In the target room, they were undergoing "partner training". It wasn't that they needed the aiming practice; so far every single target had been hit on mark. The regimen was designed so that they could get used to each other before the mission.

Rei understood the partner part, but he didn't understand why they had to spend three hours in the target room when the mission was only four days away.

_Don't these guys have better things for us to do? _

Kai walked over to the control panel. Pulling out a pen from his pocket, he checked off a box on the paper that was taped to the wall. "We have one more round to go."

Rei rolled his eyes. "Oh joy."

They waited as the machine geared up for the last level of target practice.

"I know." Rei skeptically looked at Kai, who now had a big smirk on his face.

"Let's make this one a competition." Kai was grinning now.

"Ok." _I wonder if I'm gonna regret this…_

"What does the winner get then?"

Kei thought for a moment, tapping his foot. Then he hefted his gun and cocked it. Aiming, he shot the center of the target that had appeared.

"Loser has to apologize for this morning."

Rei grinned and did the same for the target that had appeared on his side. "You're on."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Hmm." Kai and Rei both leaned over the control panel screen. The screen showed two targets at a time, one for Kai, one Rei's. Points awarded for the perfectness of the shot were added to the respective score at the bottom of the screen.

Rei held his breath as the Russian scrolled. Kai, stoic as always, said nothing.

The score was presently tied at 846, with five more slides left to go.

Rei watched with apprehension as the score rose to 921, then 1048, then 1123.

_Two more…_

He held his breath as Kai's finger tapped the screen two more times. Then, Rei slowly smiled.

The score was 1314 to 1313.

The Russian said nothing, continuing to look at the screen. Inside, Rei was gloating. He'd finally shown the other up.

Grinning, the American turned to Kai. "As we were saying?"

Moments later, the breath was knocked out of Rei as he made a solid connection with the wall.

Hiwatari's hands were on either side of Rei, and his face was becoming dangerously close.

_Ok. I'm officially regretting this now. _

The Russian smirked as he leaned towards Rei. "As we were saying…"

Rei watched as Hiwatari's face became apologetic, like he really was sincere in meaning the things he said. He shivered as he felt a hand run over the small of his back. "I really regret the hurtful things I said morning."

A hand cupped his face, and he was pulled flush against the Russian. "I'm sorry if they had a negative impact on you."

_Damn. He's a really good actor. _

"I hope you'll forgive me." The Russian's slender fingers gently stroked his cheek.

Rei could feel his heart thudding in his chest. He was sure Hiwatari did too. Unable to help himself, he tipped his head up, where Kai's lips were oh-so-close…

Brooklyn was the farthest thing from his mind at the moment, but Rei didn't even care. He was busy drowning in red pools of crimson…

"Molesting your partner isn't going to help our international relationships, Kai."

Hearing the voice, Rei immediately snapped back into reality and pushed away from Hiwatari, panting hard.

_Shit! I can't ruin my image now! _

A slender redhead leaned against the wall, a manila folder under his arm, wearing a smirk akin to Kai's. Rei felt himself being appraised by ice blue eyes.

_Exactly when did he show up?_

"Tala, what a surprise. Welcome back from your surveillance shift. I trust it was pleasant?" Kai's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Tala scoffed. "You know it wasn't my fault I got switched to surveillance."

"Oh really? It's not everyday that you see a fully trained agent punch an aged lady while helping her cross the street." Kai crossed his arms.

"She was in disguise! That purse was dangerous! And you knew it too!" Tala was aggravated now. His blue eyes flashed with annoyance.

"You were just drunk Tala." Kai rolled his eyes.

Tala sighed. "Whatever. But Alexi was killed recently."

"Ah. I always knew he was too blonde for his own good."

The redhead smirked and waved the manila folder. "I'm asking Kypirno to switch me back. This is my application and apology letter."

"What? You miss the job?"

"The excitement, yah."

"Or do you miss having me up your ass?"

Tala's frigid glare hardened into blue diamond. Rei could almost feel the air freeze with the coldness.

"Ooooh. Hit a nerve…didn't I?"

At that, Tala suddenly grinned. "Maybe I do miss having you up my ass."

Dropping the folder, the redhead sauntered over to Kai, and forcibly pushed him against the wall. After a few hot, heavy, passionate kisses and plenty of groping, Tala suddenly pulled away from Kai.

Panting, he said, "I'm thinking right now that you and me and Kitty over there can have a threesome…"

Kai looked with lidded eyes over at Rei, who was, at the moment, regretting that he didn't have a map of the building. There was no way of escaping without getting lost.

"I think that will be just fine…" Kai drawled in his deep, sexy voice.

"N-no…wait…" Rei slowly backed up as both Kai and Tala advanced on him, cornering the American agent against the wall.

_Crap. There's no way I can take on both of them! _

"It's not just fine." Rei nearly fainted in relief. He turned to look at the source of the voice…his saviour…

The man was very well built, more stocky than Kai. He had lavender hair and stunning eyes that matched the color of his hair. Rei wanted to bow down to him and kiss his feet for saving him from the certain doom he was about to face…

"Bryan." Tala's voice was laced with surprise. Kai said nothing.

Bryan crossed his arms. "I think you should make it a foursome."

* * *

"You are such a DOLL!"

Rei wasn't sure what was worse: being caught in a target practice room with three horny Russian agents (and barely escaping), or being fitted for his flight attendant outfit by a perpetually hyper designer with pink hair.

He was sure of one thing, though: having Hiwatari there for both events made them go from the bad to worse.

From the stool he stood on, surrounded by a three way mirror, he watched as pink pigtails bounced around the room. Rei was feeling very exposed; he knew that Kai was sitting quite smugly somewhere behind him, and that the Russian had quite a nice view of his backside.

_Well, he has reason to be happy. His fitting took exactly ten minutes and thirty four seconds. _

Rei looked up at the clock. His fitting time was steadily approaching the two hour mark.

_Great. Two hours in extremely short shorts while Hiwatari watches…_

Rei seethed and looked down. The sky blue shorts barely covered his butt, and went about three inches down his thigh. He also wore a white, long-sleeved button up shirt. Over the shirt went a sky blue vest with gold buttons that matched the shorts. He was currently standing with both his arms out and his mouth full of pins.

_I swear...One day I'm gonna punch that smirk off that self-centered bastard's face…_

"I found it!!"

Rei was snapped out from his angry thoughts as Mariah finally appeared with an armload of material. She promptly dropped it all on the floor, and picked up a pilot's hat from the top of the pile. It was blue and black with gold piping.

Mariah popped it on Rei's head. "Absolutely perfect! Now for the footwear…" She began sorting through the pile.

Looking down again, Rei noticed that the footwear was the only thing missing. _So that means I'm almost done…_He breathed a sigh of relief.

Mariah stood up and nodded in approval. "These should do…"

Looking at what the pink-haired designer held in her hand, the sigh of relief was promptly sucked back in. Rei's eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

_Those are freakin' FIVE INCHES!  
_

Getting over the shock, he shrank back as Mariah approached with the offending black heels.

She saw what Rei was doing, and shook her head. "Rei, I know that the shorts already emphasize your long legs, but these complete the outfit!"

"I'm gonna become lame by just walking in those!"

"I know Hiromi(1) personally, Rei, and she wouldn't let an agent pass her Disguise class without being able to walk in heels."

"They were only three inches!"

"Shut up or I won't be as merciful with the mascara wand as Hiromi!"

Rei shuddered as he remembered an incident where he had almost lost his eye. Mariah proceeded to bend down and slip the heels on. "A perfect fit too. I am so good."

Looking at himself in the mirror, Rei gingerly tested his weight on the heels. _They seem fine…_

He studied himself again.

…_but I look like a hooker again. And I'm not even supposed to be a hooker this time. _

Something caught his eye in the mirror. Rei felt his heart sink. He quickly turned around to make sure that he wasn't just seeing things…

_Fuck, no._

Half the agency had crowded into the fitting room. There were several lecherous stares directed at Rei. Many of the agents had bloody tissues stuck up their nostrils. Others were drooling, or had their cell phones out and were snapping pictures. Even Mr. Kypirno was there, looking bemused.

In front of it all, was Hiwatari, looking like the king of the world. As Rei stared, flabbergasted, he answered his cell phone and said, "Yeah. It's true. We're in fitting room 451."

The world turned silent as Rei focused on Kai, and only Kai. He could feel his rage bubbling in his heart, like molten silver.

_That fuckin, stuck up, piece of scum sonofabitch..._

Rei suddenly had an idea.

Stepping delicately off the stool, he began catwalking over to Kai, making sure to sway his hips. Raising his chin, he stared through his lashes and let his mouth fall slightly open…

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement. _Did that man just stick his hand down his pants?! Ewww...  
_

Reaching Kai, he sank down onto the Russian's lap as sluttily as he could, letting his hand run down Kai's chest, the other one fisting in his hair.

"Baby…" Rei purred with all the seduction he could muster.

"Why did you invite all these people?" He used his sweetest voice as possible, one that would put Betty Boop to shame.

Tipping his chin down, opening his eyes wide, he feigned coyness, whispering, "I'm shy…"

Kei said nothing, mesmerized by Rei's intense, golden eyes.

Suddenly, Rei pulled Kai's head back and bitched-slapped him, once, twice across the face.

Rei got up and sauntered out of the room, still wearing his high heels.

* * *

(1) I dunno if Hiromi is gonna appear, but if she is, she'll be the costume designer for the CIA.

So, how'd you like that, eh?

I know there's more swearing than usual, but I gotta get my point across! Also, I tried to make the chapter longer...

Thank you, all who reviewed. More often than not, I am writing just for you guys.

I was reading this fiction one day, where it was 119 reviews for 9 chapters, and I was thinking "Wow. I don't even have that many."

But then I scrolled down to the bottom, and saw that the author(ess) was requesting at least six reviews before continuing.

And I thought, "Maybe that's a good idea."

And then I thought, "No. That's ok. I will continue to update for my faithful readers. They are enough for me to keep writing." (I know, sentimental crap, but that's who I am...)

Moral of this story: I have faith in my readers. The best reviews are written purely out of personal choice, as I believe.

So, go ahead. Review. Do whatever you want.


	6. Chapter 4

Um. I don't own.

No need for a yaoi warning. But I might in the future. (ahaha)

And if you can't tell I am trying to establish good authorly habits of disclaimers and warnings.

* * *

Rei pulled the blankets tighter around him and sighed.

Foil wrappers littered the floor near the bed and a half empty bag of Hershey's Kisses held the place of honor on Rei's stomach. The lights in the room that the SVR had given the American agent were turned down low. In the corner, a TV babbled away incoherently in Russian.

Grabbing the bag of Hershey chocolates, Rei put it rather savagely on the bedside table. A few chocolate kisses fell out of the gaping hole that had been ripped into the bag.

Rei turned onto his side and dialed Brooklyn's number again.

_Why isn't he picking up?!_

* * *

_CRACK. _

Kai drove the sword through the man's stomach and into the wall behind.

Pulling the weapon out, Kai stared at the man for a few moments. Then he violently chopped off both his arms and slashed his knees. As an ending flourish he pulled the man's right eye out, making sure to give the appendage a hard squeeze.

Panting, Kai wiped the sweat from his face, accidentally smearing one of the blue triangles.

He picked up the stuffed dummy, turning it and observing his handiwork. Cotton stuffing fell out of the brutal slash marks and drifted gently to the ground, in a crude parody of sakura blossoms.

Feeling anger rise in his chest again, Kai turned and hurled the dummy with all his might against the far wall. It thumped painfully and fell with a sad "whump" into the pile below, where similarly destroyed dummies were lying in a heap.

_Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid..._

Sinking to the ground, feeling disgusted with himself, the usually stoic Russian agent put his head between his hands in frustration.

* * *

Rei had had enough.

Throwing the blankets to the ground, he staggered out of the bed. Trying to switch off the lamp(1), he accidentally knocked the half eaten bag of Hershey's kisses to the ground. Kisses scattered everywhere, their foil wrappers gleaming in the dim light.

The lamp followed with a dull '_clunk'. _

But Rei didn't care anymore.

Somehow, he got himself into the bathroom without destroying additional property.

He switched on the water and after a moment's hesitation, stepped in and submerged himself.

* * *

Dropping from the roof, Kai landed silently on the balcony outside of Rei's room.

Behind him, the tall, imposing skyscrapers bore silent witness to his actions. The rest of the city prepared for nighttime as the sun began to set.

Kai's white scarf flapped in the wind, so he caught a hold of it. Listening intently, he tried to catch sound of any movement within Rei's room.

Except for the sound of running water and TV blathering, there was none.

_Okay…_Kai took a deep breath, steeling himself. He had always hated apologizing. It was always so much easier just to shoot people in the head, poison them, stab them, whatever.

_Besides, who ever heard of a Hiwatari apologizing?_

But the mission, on however short notice, was an important one. The Russian (and the world) couldn't the risk of botching it up. Although Kai could be a stubborn prick sometimes, he was a morally correct stubborn prick, and he knew that killing people shamelessly for money was not right.

Usually, just thinking about the scum Gregorovich would have made Kai angry. But he had been more than enthusiastic about venting his anger on the cloth dummies at home.

He hopped down from the metal railing and padded silently over to the sliding glass doors.

After spending 55 minutes mulling over the situation on the hard, concrete floor of his training room, Kai had decided that Rei would just ignore him if he came and knocked on his door. Time was of the essence, and Kai had never been one for doing things the slow way. Besides, he hated yelling at someone he couldn't see.

Kai took a furtive glance around him, and then took out his lock picking tools.

Another gust of wind blew as Kai worked, carrying the faint sounds of city life from the streets below.

* * *

Waiting for his flight, Brooklyn decided to grab some coffee. He had plenty of time; the private jet wouldn't leave for another hour or so.

Traveling bag in hand, he made his way over to the Starbucks located in the airport. As it was currently 3 in the morning, there weren't a lot of customers.

_Thank God. _Brooklyn wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with pesky, impatient people. Especially considering the nature of his journey…

After placing his order, he sat down at one of the small tables, placing his bag in the other chair so no one would sit across from him. Maximum privacy was essential. He checked his cell phone.

_47 missed calls?!_

Scrolling through them, he noticed that they were all from Rei. _What happened to him?!_

"Mr. Matthew Limburg."

Pressing his phone to his ear, waiting for Rei to pick up, Brooklyn went to pick up his order.

* * *

Kai burst into Rei's bathroom, slamming the door against the wall with such force that the doorknob nearly snapped off.

He had spent the last 20 minutes knocking on the bathroom door, almost breaking it down, with no response. On his last threads of sanity and thinning patience, he had picked the lock of the bathroom.

_Please don't tell me this is suicide…_

He ran over to the shower curtain and yanked it open. He stared down at the American agent…

* * *

_Thirteen year old Rei slammed the door to the bathroom and locked it. Panting, he leaned against the door...  
_

_The gun slipped from Rei's fingers and skidded sharply across the tiled floor. _

_Feeling numb, Rei moved toward the shower, every step seeming to echo within his head…_

'_...mum…dad…'_

_Inside the shower, Rei raised his shaking hands and observed them. He clenched and unclenched the fingers, unable to believe what had just happened. Miraculously, his hands stayed clean each time he opened them. _

_Looking down, he noticed the blood marring his white shirt. _

'…_so…it really….is…?' _

"_NO!" In a fit of anger, Rei clawed at his shirt, ripping it. He rubbed his hands furiously on the front of his shirt, trying to get rid of the imaginary blood that he felt staining his hands..._

_The sounds of Rei's fury bounced off the walls of the pristine bathroom._

_All of the sudden, Rei's breath caught in his throat, and his anger receded and was replaced by a sea of grief. He felt himself slipping under, drifting further away from shore. _

_Sobs began to rack Rei's slim figure. Sinking down to the floor, he turned on the cold water to wash it all away…_

* * *

"That is a really pathetic suicide attempt you have going on there, Kon."

Rei glared balefully up at Kai through the water that was coursing down through the shower head. His face was wet; Kai couldn't tell if it was the shower water or if Rei had been crying.

"And when did you start breaking into other people's rooms without permission?"

"Since when I was about five, unfortunately."

Noticing that the other agent was also fully clothed, just sitting in the bathtub with the shower on, Kai sat down awkwardly next to Rei. He could feel the wetness begin to soak through his pants.

"So…" Kai ventured.

The word hung between them, a heavy weight on the thin string of silence. Both agents thought about the rather eventful day, and its possible consequences. Rei rested his folded arms on his knees, and stared at the tiling of the wall. He noticed that the Russian had taken a sudden interest in the pattern of the shower curtain.

The silence continued the stretch, threatening to break. The two agents sat under the shower head, soaked to the skin in cold water. Above the sound of rushing water, the TV could still be faintly heard.

Finally, Rei decided to follow the age old tradition of diplomacy, since he was, after all, the American.

"Look," he said, sighing. "I know what I did was wrong today." Kai made a move to open his mouth, but Rei cut him off.

"It's just that I don't know anyone here, except you, and well that's not really…" he fidgeted with the end of his braid.

"Its fine," Kai said softly, choosing to avoid the obvious insult at the end of the sentence. His cheeks were now a faint hue of blue, as the water had washed most of the markings off. Or perhaps it was because that he had been sitting in ice cold water for the past ten minutes.

"No. No it's not. I should be able to compose myself better, but today I just buckled under the pressure. I know I made both of us look bad." Rei looked over to Kai, his golden eyes soft, seeking apology.

Kai felt his breath catch in his throat. Although an ice cold bastard on the outside (yes, he knew), he had always been a sucker for the eyes…

The Russian cleared his throat. "Well…I think there's been a misunderstanding…"

Rei nodded, eyes still fixed on Kai. He continued to play with his braid, as Kai averted his eyes back to the shower curtain.

"I know you think that I invited all those people in there…" He paused, waiting for the other to contradict him. But nothing came.

Kai hurriedly finished his explanation. "But somehow the word got around that the American agent was in Mai's fitting room. And this being a rush mission, with Kypirno pressuring everyone and all, I guess they were curious to see who the fuss was all about."

He forced himself to meet the other's eyes. Crimson clashed with gold and held for a split second. Then Rei drew his eyes away.

"Explain what I saw when you answered your cell phone." Even though his tone was nonchalant, Kai knew that Rei was serious about the whole situation. He would have to step carefully to avoid sounding too sincere and thus, fake.

"Well…Tala…" Kai paused, thinking of the best ways to word his explanation. Rei waited patiently as the cold water continued to cascade over the two agents.

"He wanted to know where I was. Had a question about my father's favorite wine."

_There. Short, succinct, to the point. _

Seeing Rei's questioning look, Kai elaborated. "My dad is the head of the SVR. He was appointed after my grandfather was revealed to be behind the whole Weinberg Scandal."

Rei nodded knowingly. It had been broadcasted internationally; a high-power official selling weapons illegally through the fake Weinberg Company. Afterwards, enemies that posed a threat to Russia began disappearing, and people shut up for good.

"But it's not like I get any special treatment or anything." Kai laced his long, pale fingers together.

"I see." Rei said softly.

Silence again. It was a bit awkward, but not as bad as the first had been. Kai pulled a bit at his shirt, which was sticking wetly at his back.

After a while, Rei broke the silence again.

"Well…I'm sorry about what happened. I know I totally overreacted to the whole situation."

In a rare act of chivalry, and perhaps something else, Kai decided to take the blame.

"No. I should've kicked them all out."

Rei sighed, and shifted his legs, which were beginning to get a bit numb. "I'm just worried what this will do to our public image. Especially mine."

"Tala's caused bigger scandals than this."

"I know, but I'm supposed to be representing my country. What will people think of us now? And this is only my second serious mission! What if I get demoted?" Rei buried his head between his arms. He could feel the depression, the self-bashing, the humiliation, and the anger begin to well up in him again.

The two agents fell into silence again. The water, not getting any warmer, continued to drench them to the bone. Kai briefly wondered if the water would freeze inside his pores. Outside, the sun had almost set, throwing shadows throughout the bathroom.

"Tell me."

Rei looked at Kai, startled. It had not occurred to him that the Russian possessed any skills that enabled him to start a conversation easily.

Kai pointed at the shower head. "Why?"

For a few seconds, they looked at each other. Then Rei cracked a grin.

Reaching up, he turned on the hot water. "It's a long story…"

* * *

"Are you serious?!"

The light breeze caught the two agents' laughter and carried it away into the sky.

Suddenly, they fell silent as the door opened.

The waitress, clothed in the usual black and white, came outside with their orders. Flashing a coy smile at Kai, she put the cups down and then sashayed away. The two agents waited until she was out of earshot.

"Wow," Kai said, taking a sip of his coffee. He chuckled again.

Rei encircled the cup with his limber fingers, smiling. "Yeah, I know. The police interrogated him on the front lawn, in his blue plaid boxers. It was cute, yet sad at the same time to watch."

"It's still a marvel that he got your password though."

"What can I say? He's always been smart." Rei shrugged.

It was a beautiful day; one where staying inside was a crime. Birds chirped symphonies of joy as they fluttered about. The trees, serenely moving in the wind, seemed to be completely content. Even the honking of cars carried strains of delight in their abrasive sound.

At the suggestion of Kypirno, Kai and Rei had also taken a break from their training to enjoy this lovely day.

"Now tell me a story," Rei requested.

He let go of his cup for an instant to roll up the sleeves of his white shirt. He had dressed lightly today, in a white shirt that fluttered with the breeze and brown slacks. Kai was similarly dressed, only his shirt looked like it had been made out of a piece of sky. Rei thought that the light blue color was gorgeous.

Kai smirked. He had the perfect one.

Leaning inwards towards Rei, he intoned, "You must never tell anyone about this."

Rei nodded; keeping secrets was his profession, after all. "Promise."

Satisfied, Kai leaned back in his chair. "Back in academy we had to take 'History of Espionage'. It was taught by this nasty little old lady called Mrs. Hobbington. She would birch you just because you sneezed, that sort of thing. It was bad."

"So one day over the holidays she had to leave early to go to a party. So she says to Tala, 'Go and warm up my car'. And everyone just perks up because Tala and I were kind of the daredevils." Kai sounded a bit sheepish at the last statement.

Rei leaned his head on his hand as he listened to Kai's story. The breeze swooped by and tried to carry off strands of his hair.

"Tala stands up, and it's deathly silent. Everyone's eyes are on him."

"He walks over to the supply closet, and gets out a broom. And then, dragging to broom, he walks over to the radiator, which is on the ground. He puts the broom over the radiator and straddles it."

Kai looked over to Rei, clearly finished with the story.

Rei was a bit confused. He blinked as he tried to comprehend the details…

All of the sudden, it hit him.

"Oh!" Rei slapped the table in realization. Coffee from both cups slopped to the glass surface.

"He was calling her a witch! 'Cuz witches ride brooms!" he told Kai, grinning.

"Exactly! You should have been there. The whole class was silent for like three minutes, then Hobbington totally lost it. She started chucking everything she could get her hands on. Totally sounded like a wounded banshee. They had to call a special containment unit in. It was classic."

Kai sipped his coffee, mindful of the liquid dripping down the side. Unconsciously, Rei mirrored his movements, also drinking his coffee. The two agents enjoyed a moment of rare peace in the crisp, fresh air…

Suddenly, Rei felt a hand close firmly over his. Moist lips found their way to his cheek. Across the table, Kai narrowed his eyes in a gesture of enmity and made a move to stand up.

"Why, hello my little kitten. Long time no see, ne?"

* * *

(1) Conserve energy, people! Save the earth! We're all on the same boat, after all.

So I finally updated. (Yay!)

This chapter was actually one of the most difficult to write (because of the aftermath of the slap). I tried to portray the emotions of the characters as best I could, though I am not sure of the results. This chapter has also gone under the most intensive editing.

But wow, this is the longest chapter I've written yet. Can you believe it?

Cold Metal is also at this stage. I am unsure of how to proceed, but I trust something will inspire me soon...(By the way, I saw Ironman. Got a few ideas now.)

Oh, and before I forget: I would love to have a Beta Reader. Just saying (smiles).

I will be off to music camp for a week. So this is my gift to you, for the time being.

Please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think of this chapter. I would rather rewrite it again into something of more quality than to just leave it the way it is. And again, thank you, dedicated readers.

A little something for your thoughts:

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those you mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

(Anyone build any connections between this and the story? Anyone? Or maybe I'm just crazy...)

Peace, yo.


	7. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't own.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read the blurb at the end. It's important to the well being of both this fanfic and you.

* * *

Rei blinked at the sight of bright orange-red hair in his vision.

"Brooklyn!?!?"

He didn't know whether to be surprised, delighted, or confused. At the same time, he felt little twinges of disappointment worm their way into his heart, as he had been rather enjoying his time with Kai.

While Rei was busy sorting his emotions, Kai and Brooklyn continued their staring/glaring contest. If looks could kill, both would have made their way through the seven levels of hell, only to be reincarnated again. It was that bad.

The breeze passed by again, trying to relieve the awkwardness and tension of the moment.

Snapping out of his daze, Rei suddenly remembered his manners.

"Er…Brooklyn! Um…This is Kai. Hiwatari! Yeah, Hiwatari. I'm working with him on my, uh, mission. I mean, mission to, uh, reorganize the bank accounts of the Bank of the Soviet, cuz, you know, the bank accounts are unorganized and need to be reorganized. And we're also going over the files of the bank accounts cuz they are unorgan…"

"That's lovely, kitten." Looking smugly at Kai, Brooklyn leaned over and kissed Rei on the mouth, effectively shutting him up and showing his dominance to Kai at the same time. Brooklyn always did everything for a reason.

"Now…" Brooklyn looped his arm around Rei's waist and steered him towards the wrought iron gate that led to the street. "My **fiancé**," he intentionally stressed the word, "and I have business to attend to." He flashed another smug smile at Kai. "If you'll so kindly excuse us, Mr. Hiwatari."

Kai resisted all urges to bash Brooklyn's face in as he watched him lead Rei away. Correction: lead HIS Rei away.

* * *

Rei contentedly smiled as he felt Brooklyn's fingers stroke up his spine.

"Mmmm…Brooklyn?"

"Yes?" He looked up from his book. After a lavish dinner, extravagant shopping and a (naughty) shower, the soon-to-be-couple were lounging in bed in the best hotel Moscow had to offer. Rei had called in for a break, which was begrudgingly granted.

Rei yawned, snuggling into the pillows. "Why are you in Moscow?"

He missed Brooklyn's slight frown and look of annoyance.

"Because I have…business…to attend to."

"…Hm." By the time Brooklyn's answer left his lips, Rei was already sound asleep.

* * *

"Kypirno!" The director flinched at the harsh sound emitted from the cordless phone.

"WHAT do you THINK you're DOING?!?!"

"I-I…."

"NO! SHUT UP! Don't wanna hear your useless whining…"

"…." Kypirno waited for the other's response.

"I told you. I need them both in top condition! You hear me? As in NO BREAKS!!"

"Y-yes."

"Good. Or else this isn't gonna work. And you aren't gonna get your goddamn 100 grand."

The line went dead. Sinking into his office chair, Kypirno put his head into his hands.

Shaking with anger, he began thumbing through his files. He forcefully grabbed the one he wanted, bending the corner. Then he shredded the folder that read "Operation Griffin". It didn't matter anymore; what was done was done.

* * *

The bank was all commotion.

More accurately, everything but the bank in the bank was all commotion. Business went on as usual on the first floor. Customers cashed in checks and withdrew sums of money…

But on the eighth floor…

"HAIRSPRAY!!" The yell echoed down the hall.

A few seconds later, an attendant sprinted to room 868 with a green can of hairspray. Shaking, he peered around the corner…

And was immediately confronted by Mariah's seething features. And lots of pink.

"You're lucky I'm in a GOOD MOOD today!" She huffed, grabbing the can. The attendant breathed a sigh of relief as his life was guaranteed safe for the next 20 minutes.

Mariah turned back to Rei, who was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, having just been forced into his outfit. He was shivering; the AC in the bank was rather unforgiving…

"Now," she purred, "We'll just put on the finishing touches." She gently set the can on a dresser, and then picked up some powder foundation. Rei backed away slowly…

Elsewhere, everyone was also preparing for the mission. Technicians made sure their computers were up and running, supporting agents were briefed for the final time, and black cars regularly left the bank's secret underground parking lot, heading for the airport. Even the bank's cat, famous for sleeping on top of register number 8, was outfitted with a camera on his collar, packed away into a pet carrier, and then shipped off to the airport to be loaded on the plane.

No one was taking any chances.

Kai fidgeted. He stood alone in the hallway, outside of the fitting room. After the whole incident with Rei, he had figured that it would be best if he wasn't inside the room.

"Hey Kai." A girl winked as she hurried by with an armload of papers. The other girls following her giggled.

_Probably some technicians_. Kai pulled at his jacket. He was smartly dressed, with a navy jacket adorned with medals buttoned over a cream shirt. His slacks fit perfectly, and black leather shoes and a pilot's hat finished off the ensemble.

"GAAAAaaaaaah…" Something fell and clattered inside the room. Kai sighed as he checked his watch. _If we don't leave in 30 minutes we'll be late…_

After what seemed like an eternity and five minutes, the door slammed open, sending shock waves down the walls of the hallway. Mariah stomped out, breathing heavily. Her hair looked like it had just barely survived a tornado. Spotting Kai, she immediately marched over.

"Here!" She thrust the tube of lip gloss into his hands. "He's your partner. YOU take care of him."

Kai watched bemusedly as she huffed and puffed down the hallway, cursing and knocking down a potted plant in the process.

Twirling the tube of lip gloss in his hands, Kai sauntered into the room. His breath hitched in his throat.

Rei perched on the edge a sink in the corner of the room, with his back leaning on the mirror. He twirled his hat with slender fingers. Mariah had completely transformed him. Adding to the revealing outfit, which hugged his perfect body and accentuated his legs, winged eyeliner brought out his catlike eyes. Carefully placed foundation and powder contoured his cheekbones. His silky hair had been perfectly brushed and braided.

Seeing that it was Kai who had walked through the door, and not Mariah, Rei grinned ruefully. "She's quite forceful, isn't she?"

"To put it lightly, yes." Kai avoided the broken hair dryer and stepped over mirror splinters.

He held up the tube of gloss. "I have been assigned to administer this aid of cosmetic beautification."

Rei rolled his eyes. "Kai. It doesn't matter. It's not like I'm going to kiss the guy or anything…"

"You're really too relaxed for this mission. He's going to unleash a virus on the world, for Pete's sake."

"Don't evoke Pete with me." Rei kicked playfully at Kai with his heels. "Why be serious when we're spending the next twelve hours being serious? And who knows, maybe he's just full of hot air and money."

"Well, whatever happens, I need to get this lip gloss on you."

"Mariah won't know."

"Actually," Kai replied as he unscrewed the lip gloss, "she's at the airport right now. Screening and checking over all the other agents acting as flight attendents."

Rei groaned. "I knew it wouldn't be that easy to get away with it…"

"Come on. A little closer now."

Rolling his eyes, Rei used his hands to steady himself as he leaned in towards Kai. The hat sat untouched on his lap.

"Ok. Kissy face first."

Rei pouted his lips and closed his eyes as Kai ran the tube of gloss over his mouth.

"Now spread."

Rei mashed his lips together and rubbed them, spreading the lip gloss.

"Everything okay?" Rei queried, opening his eyes.

"Mmhm." Kai reached up and wiped some extra gloss off of the corner of Rei's mouth…

And for a moment, their faces were very, very close.

Rei could feel himself drowning in the crimson pools all over again. His heart started fluttering, beating uncharacteristically fast. His fists tightened on the edge of the sink.

Kai felt the urges that he had been working so hard to suppress as he stared into golden eyes. Unconsciously, he placed his hands over Rei's as he leaned in…

_It would be so wrong…but feel so right._

Almost as if an intangible force was pulling them together, both moved closer and closer…

…and suddenly pulled apart.

"Er. W-we should get going. Don't want to be late." Kai broke off eye contact first, pulling his hands away. He fidgeted with his hat as he turned away.

"Y-yeah." Rei slipped off the edge of the sink, his heart thudding in his chest. The hat bounced a little as it fell off his lap and onto the floor. As he picked up his hat, he suddenly felt guilty about what had happened.

He slowly slid the hat onto his head.

_Better fix this up…wouldn't want secrets between us. It's about time I told him about Brooklyn and me…_

"Kai…"

But, looking up, he saw that Kai had already gone.

* * *

Ok. So here's the deal.

I have been going over my previous chapters, and I've noticed that they are quite short. However, the chapter count still reads "7" and I think that scares some potential readers away. Personally, I'm a fan of shorter works. If this fanfic goes according to plan, this will not top 10 to 13 chapters.

THUS I WILL BE COMBINING THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS. Again: I will be COMBINING some chapters.

I'm not deleting anything, and the fic will continue to be updated. But I'm just combining a few chapters, so please be wary.

When I update next, I will put a remainder in the description.

_Phew. _

That aside, how did you like this chapter? Gives us some nice plot development.


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